A wave of criticism has hit top comedians like Dave Chappelle, Pete Davidson, Louis CK, and Bill Burr for joining a Saudi government-backed comedy festival, as the kingdom faces renewed scrutiny for human rights abuses, recent executions, and the killing of journalists. The event, part of Saudi Arabia's push to boost its entertainment sector under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's "Vision 2030," is reportedly offering performers hefty paychecks—sometimes more than $1 million, insiders say, per the Independent.
While few comics have advertised their participation, online backlash has been swift, with some accusing the performers of being "sellouts" for lucrative fees. Comedians Marc Maron, Shane Gillis, and Zach Woods of Silicon Valley and The Office all publicly criticized the event, referencing Saudi Arabia's alleged 9/11 ties and the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. "From the folks that brought you 9/11! Two weeks of laughter in the desert!" Maron quipped, noting he wasn't invited and joking, "Easy to maintain your integrity when no one's offering to buy it out."
Gillis claimed he declined the festival even after his offered payment was doubled, calling it a "principled stand." "You don't 9/11 your friends," he said. Others, like Pete Davidson—whose firefighter father died in 9/11—have faced similar sharp rebukes on social media. Davidson and other comedians, including Jim Jefferies and Chris Distefano, defended their decisions by citing the size of the payouts.
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Human rights groups argue the festival is an attempt to distract from Saudi Arabia's record on repression of free speech and other rights violations. "Everyone performing in Riyadh should use this high-profile opportunity to call for the release of detained Saudi activists," said a Human Rights Watch researcher. Per the Independent and Deadline, other big names set to perform include Chris Tucker, Aziz Ansari, Sebastian Maniscalco, and Hannibal Buress, the comedian whose reupped allegations against Bill Cosby started a chain reaction that helped lead to Cosby's eventual downfall. Check out all the performers so far here.
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